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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23925169">Four plus one equals</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thephoenixmage1/pseuds/thephoenixmage1'>thephoenixmage1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, F/M, Fivesome - F/F/M/M/M, Foursome - F/F/M/M, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:20:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,050</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23925169</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thephoenixmage1/pseuds/thephoenixmage1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>James rather likes Q, unfortunately he quickly finds out he isn't the only one.   Or maybe not so unfortunate</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James Bond/Q, James Bond/Q/Original Female Character(s), James Bond/Q/Original Male Character(s), Q (James Bond)/Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So...  appologies to everyone currently waiting for me to update The Q who lived.  It's just that I recently walked out on my partner of the last six or so years, while there is a freaking global pandemic going on.  (Do I get bonus points for that?)  So anyway I needed something to help me feel better.  Deal with it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>James entered Q branch and quickly spotted Q behind a computer.  Q's head lifted and he paused when he noticed James's approach.  Stopping just in front of the Quatermaster, James reached into his pocket to pull out a USB drive and added his most winsome, charming grin.</p><p>"I need the information on this as soon as possible." James told him.<br/>
Q lifted an eyebrow and coolly plucked the USB drive from James's hand.<br/>
"I am due home in about an hour Bond.  It's curry night."</p><p>James couldn't quiet hide his own faint surprise.<br/>
"Someone to go home too?"  He asked.<br/>
"Yes and I don't particularly want to miss out on curry either.  Exactly how important is this?"  Q held up the USB drive.<br/>
"Slightly more important than curry Q."  James pressed.  Q sighed and rubbed his nose just under his glasses.<br/>
"I was afraid of that."</p><p>Q lifted his other hand to the headset he was wearing to pull the microphone into place before clicking something on his computer.  James silently shifted to where he could see as Q launched a videochat.</p><p>A moment later and the face of a mousey looking female who looked more like James's age popped up.<br/>
"Hi there Snugglebunny."  Q greeted and James felt his eyebrows creep up.  Snugglebunny?  Really?  James couldn't hear her reply, the audio going into Q's headset.<br/>
"I am not going to be able to get home for dinner."  Q paused, nodding and smiling.<br/>
"Yeah I know.  I'm not sure when I'll get home.  Late?  Maybe even early."<br/>
Something Snugglebunny said made Q grin.<br/>
"Of course.  Love you."  Q said before closing the video.</p><p>"Snugglebunny?"  James had to ask, he never imagined Q would have some mousey female waiting for him at home.  Let alone one who looked as old as James.<br/>
"Yes, problem?"  Q's smile was fond and warm, it was a good look on him.<br/>
"How long?"  James found himself asking.<br/>
"A few years now, since Uni.  She has been a fucking rock."  Q shrugged.  James nodded, he could understand the need to have someone solid and dependable with this job.<br/>
"For some reason I had the impression you might be gay." James told him, trying to wrap his head around the idea of the brilliant and witty Q with a mousey female.<br/>
"Why have one when you can have both."  Q grinned and turned his attention to the USB drive.  "Let's see what you have here Bond."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Snugglebunny</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>James meets Snugglebunny in person</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>James Bond was on foot and walking to one of MI-6's various hidden entrances, still a few blocks away yet when a van pulled up, horn honking.<br/>
"Oi! Bond!" Q's voice called.  James turned and took in the sight of an American Apache panelvan parked up on the narrow English road.</p>
<p>Q waved him over from the passenger side and as James approached he could see the driver was none other than Snugglebunny.</p>
<p>"Get in." Q told him as he opened the passenger side door.  "You can help me move some stuff into Q branch." Q unbuckled his seat belt and moved closer the Snugglebunny.  "Snugglebunny, James Bond." Q quickly introduced as James slid into the van's bench seat, thankfully Snugglebunny looked as skinny as Q so there was enough room.<br/>
"Hi." Snugglebunny smiled and waved.</p>
<p>"Hello." James gave a slight nod on return, then he happened to look into the back of the van at various computer components.  "Q? Are you supposed to have those outside of work?"  He had to ask.<br/>
"Everything in here I have worked at from home thank you very much." Q said primly as he attached his seatbelt reminding James to click his into place.  "I'm just brining it in because it's ready to be used."</p>
<p>"If you ever find a way to stop him from tinkering by all means let me know."  Snugglebunny said with a wry smile.  The amused expression on her face was making James revise his initial impression that she was mousey.  Her appearance was perhaps plain but  the cheerful, good humour meant that in person she came across as far less mousey.</p>
<p>Q had apparently managed to get the van and Snugglebunny some sort of temporary pass, although only to a convinent unloading bay.  Q throw open the van doors.<br/>
"Can you help me with this Bond? Snuggle isn't allowed inside."<br/>
"Yeah because I am really going to do something stupid while I am actually on MI-6 property." Snugglebunny spoke with dry amusement.<br/>
"I know that.  Everybody else though..." Q smiled and gently pulled Snugglebunny into to hug, affectionately kissing her forehead.  "Thanks for the lift love."</p>
<p>When James finished helping Q unload the van allowing Snugglebunny to drive off he couldn't help but say, "You do understand why MI-6 is careful?"<br/>
Q rolled his eyes.  "Snugglebunny is one of the most loyal people you'll ever meet."  Q said firmly.</p>
<p>"It is as much for her protection Q." James reminded.  "What would you do if something did happen to her?"<br/>
"With everything she has been through... Snugglebunny is tougher than she looks."  Q smiled before adding with a rather evil looking smirk.<br/>
"Beside if anoyone touched her, they would regret it rather quickly."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Who?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Who is Q with?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The idea for a foursome started with a story I started ages ago that never went anywhere.  So now this.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was perhaps a month later when James had snuck outside to what was little more then a nearby alleyway for a quick smoke when a motorbike pulled up.  It was a rather gorgeous BSA Lightening and by the sounds of it the motor had been worked on.  Then the passenger ringing on the back confidently got off James blinked in surprise as Q took his helmet off.  James tensed and started to move when the driver reached and grabbed Q's wrist but halted hen Q grinned and turned, the driver taking off his own helmet, dark red curls going flying as he gave his head a shake.</p>
<p>The strange male pulled Q into a rather heated looking kiss which left Q with a rather silly grin on his face which in other circumstances might look good on him.  However it made James feel slightly sick as a ugly, hollow sensation lurched in his stomach.  The strange male was remarkably handsome and if James was any judge, as he was rather good at this by now, then his movements and and the muscle indicated he was some sort of marital art expert.  Q's words "Why have one when you can have both,"  seemed to be ringing oddly around his head.</p>
<p>When the motorbike and it's driver left, James casually went over to Q.<br/>"So what  happened to Snugglebunny?"<br/>"Oh, she's probably still asleep in bed.'  Q shrugged uncaringly and it felt like a punch in the gut to James.  Q was cheating on Snugglebunny, the very person whose loyalty Q had so obviously valued.  It wasn't really any of his business but all James could think about was Snugglebunny's wry smile, her humor and amusement giving life and warmth to her otherwise plain features and the very real affection that seemed to exist between her and Q.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Crashed out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>James finds Q fast asleep</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>James walked, or more like limped, into Q branch late, or was that early?  Q branch itself was relatively empty and James walked up to Q's usual computer and stood there a moment.  Q was slumped awkwardly in a chair fast asleep, his fingers resting lax and loose on the keyboard in what looked like mid-typing.<br/>"How long has it been?"  James asked a nearby techie.<br/>"Oh um, probably a couple minutes."<br/>"No you idiot, since he last slept?"<br/>"Oh!  Right. Er, almost 60 hours I think."</p>
<p>James sighed but decided he should at least try and get Q somewhere more comfortable.  There were sofa's in a number of offices around here.  A flashing light on Q's computer caught James's attention.  Incoming video call from Snugglebunny.  James grimaced feeling conflicted a moment since he knew Q had cheated on her but it really wasn't any of his business.  He carefully lifted the headset from Q and set it on his own head, accepting the incoming call.  Snugglebunny's face, tired by welcoming appearing on the screen.<br/>'Boffin...."  she started and then blinked, "you're not Boffin."</p>
<p>"Your Boffin is currently asleep."  James shifted so she could see Q fast asleep at the deck.<br/>"Ah, he's crashed then."  Snugglebunny sighed in fond annoyance.  "He's useless once he'd reached that state."<br/>"Is that Boffin?"  A new voice pipped up into the headset James was currently wearing.  James watched in surprise as the strange male with the springy red curls stepped into view.<br/>"He's crashed."  Snugglebunny leaned back into the protective looking hand that curled onto her shoulder and James had to suddenly re-think his assumption that Q had cheated on her.  All Q had said was that she was probably still asleep in bed.<br/>"About bloody time," the male was saying, "our idiot Boffin is a workaholic,"  his voice was fond and a bit ruthful.  "I would go pick him up but I don't trust him on the back of the bike once he's this tired."<br/>"I could drive."  Snugglebunny suggested with a decided lack of enthusiasm.<br/>"No love, you hate driving in the dark and you're night vision is terrible."</p>
<p>"I could get him there."  James found himself answering even as he was adjusting to the thought that Q apparently had a nice little threesome going on and wasn't actually cheating on Snugglebunny.  He felt a little bad that he'd assumed the worst actually.  Snugglebunny glanced up at the red head who after a moment of staring at Bond, gave a slight nod.<br/>"Do you know where?"<br/>"I can find out."  James assured him and shut down the video chat before carefully shaking Q awake.<br/>"Hm?  Bond?"  Q squinted sleepily at him.<br/>"You need a proper bed and some real sleep Q. I'm under orders to get you home."</p>
<p>"M?"  Q asked sleepily.<br/>"No, from Snugglebunny and whoever he is."<br/>"Red, curly hair?"  <br/>"Yes."<br/>"That's Boss. He is rather protective.  Particularly of Snugglebunny, she was his first."<br/>James felt his eyebrows lift slightly but whatever dynamic was going on, it seemed like everyone was consenting and happy and that was what really mattered.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Threesome? Or was that a Foursome?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Another one?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>James left MI-6 via one of its tunnels with a grin and a spring in his step, having agreed to meet up with 006, Alex Trevelyan.  He found the blond Russian not far away who looked like he was attempting to chat up an attractive blond female.  Something that normally wouldn't cause James to blink twice only she was standing in front of a pair of bikes and not only did one of them look rather familiar but Snugglebunny was leaning up against the sidecar of the other one, looking amused and a bit bored at the same time.</p>
<p>As soon as Alec spotted him the Russian gave a discreet 'go away' gesture but James was already responding with a firmer 'abandon mission' signal.  Strong enough for Alec to frown slightly and step back.<br/>"What is it?  What's wrong?"  Alec asked him as James finally reached him but James ignored him a moment.<br/>"Hello Snugglebunny."  He offered the her his hand. <br/>"James Bond wasn't it?"  She asked with a smile as she accepted his handshake.  <br/>"Yes, I hope my friend Alec here isn't causing too much trouble."  He gave Alec his best warning look.</p>
<p>"He's a sweetheart," the blond replied with a slight American accent, "you might want to tell him we're a bit busy though, I'm Queenie."  The blond offered her hand and James took it.<br/>"Is Boss here?" James asked, "I recognize his bike,"  he nodded to the BSA.<br/>"Up the road, fetching everyone drinks,"  Snugglebunny told him, "will Boffin be out soon do you think?"<br/>James shrugged having no idea.  "Last I saw him, he was heading for a meeting with our boss."</p>
<p>Queenie rolled her eyes.<br/>"He said twenty minutes half an hour ago.  We are suppose to be going out."<br/>"Hello Bond."  A vaguely familiar voice called and James turned to see Boss with his dark curly red hair carrying a cardboard tray of four coffee's.<br/>"Boss."  James smiled and nodded, watching as Boss handed over a drink to Snugglebunny first and then Queenie.  "A friend of mine, Alec Trevelyan,"  he indicated the blond Russian.  <br/>"Hi."  Boss shook hands with Alec was looked to be doing his best not to ask questions.  "Where's Boffin?"<br/>"No idea."  Queenie sighed holding up a phone.<br/>"Meeting last I knew."  James offered.</p>
<p>"Ah ha."  Snugglebunny stepped leaning on the sidecar of the other bike and James turned to see Q appearing.<br/>"Finally."  Queenie smiled and sipped at her drink.<br/>"He looks like he'd had a bad day."  Boss said and handed Queenie the tray with the two remaining drinks.  "Excuse me a moment."<br/>James watched as Boss took a few swift steps and swept Q up into a rather fierce kiss.  Q grinned and looked a bit dazed.<br/>"Bugger this."  Queenie shoved the drinks at James who took them before also going up to Q, throwing her arms around him and pulling him into a rather deep kiss while Boss looked on with a rather fond, content look on his face.  James cast a look back at Snugglebunny only to see that she was grinning.<br/>"Would you like me to hold your drink too?"  He offered, Snugglebunny's grin widened.<br/>"I think I can manage thank you."  She walked up to the others as Queenie let Q go.<br/>"Snuggle."  Q pulled her into a tight hug, giving her forehead a affectionate kiss.  "Hello Bond, Trevelyan."<br/>"Boffin."  James returned.</p>
<p>"Q-branch promised to keep our boss from accusing me of treason while I go missing, think you could do the same for a few hours?"<br/>"Sure, why not."  James agreed easily, thinking of the last time when he helped an overworked and exhausted Q home.<br/>"Excellent."  Q smiled and Snugglebunny took the drinks James was holding before getting into the sidecar.  Boss hopped in to the BSA with Q behind him while Queenie took the other bike, all of them putting helmets on.  "See you latter Bond, Trevelyan."<br/>"Later Boffin."  Bond waved him off.</p>
<p>"That was Q."  Alec said to him after a few moments.<br/>"Yes."<br/>"So our brilliant, smart mouthed and cardigan wearing quartermaster is in a foursome?"<br/>"Looks like it."  James nodded.<br/>"Damn, I though I had the blond."  Alec sighed and gave James a knowing look.  "You like Q."<br/>James had to look away, not entirely been able to hide his response and Alec chuckled.<br/>"Only you James."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Eve</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>James is a little surprised to learn that Eve doesn't know.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>With everything that is going on in the world, I am finding it really hard to be in the right mood to write.  I am a fourth generation Australian and yet I get asked all the time what my accent is.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>James followed Eve into Q branch in the early hours where workers were still arriving for the day and getting their morning beverage of choice from the staff rec room while computers were loading up.</p>
<p>"Where is Q?" Eve asked a techie Bond sort of recognised.  The female glanced at her watch.<br/>
"He should be here by now."  She answered with a slight frown.</p>
<p>"I am here."  As voice came behind them, looking just slightly breathless and Bond watched as Q put down a laptop bag next to a desk.  "If you could just give me a few moments."  </p>
<p>James watched as Q pulled off a dark grey beanie followed by a matching scarf and matching gloves.<br/>
"Nice."  He reached to pick up the beanie.<br/>
"Snugglebunny made them." Q said absently as he went to a safe to remove a locked case.  With the beanie in hand however James couldn't help but notice that the texture and feel of it was different.</p>
<p>"What is it made of?" He asked curiously.<br/>
"Ah." Q returned to his desk with the case.  "You would notice that those aren't made from just your average wool or nylon or acrylic fibers wouldn't you?"<br/>
"I don't think I've felt anything like it before."  James agreed.<br/>
"That's probably because it has possum fur in it.   They have one of the warmest furs known.  Snugglebunny will be more then happy to tell you that possums are possible the most under utilised animal in Australia and that you can only get possum fur yarn from New Zealand where they are a pest."<br/>
"I had wondered what her accent was."</p>
<p>"She blames a lifetime of growing up with people who have hearing impairments, been hearing impaired herself and a speech impedament." Q shrugged.  "Here,"  Q opened the case and introduced James to his various gadgets.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Isn't it so cute?" Eve said to him once they left.<br/>
"What?" James asked as he casually attached his new watch on.<br/>
"The way he personalizes his cats of course.  Snugglebunny and the rest.  I think he has three.  It's charming the way he talk about them as if they are actual people."<br/>
James blinked at her,  he had gotten the impression Q didn't think to highly of Eve and now he thought he suddenly understood why.<br/>
"They are actual people Eve."<br/>
Eve laughed.  "Oh don't be silly.  Who on earth would want to be known as Snugglebunny? Although the way he talks about them, I can understand why you might think otherwise.  The idea of a cat who can make things like a beanie is just, it's charmingly funny don't you think?"</p>
<p>James stopped and looked at her.<br/>
"Eve, I have met them, I  think the name Snugglebunny actually suits her."</p>
<p>Eve's jaw drops slightly.<br/>
"James you sly dog, when did this happen?  Now I know the one he calls Boss is a Ginger Tom, I get the impression Snugglebunny is a mongrel street cat he sort of adopted, he remains illusive on the third.. I know it's another female, what was the name...?"<br/>
"Queenie." James Bond said as he wondered if Eve was really that oblivious.<br/>
"That's it, something going on between you and Q I should know about?" Eve wraggled her eyebrows meaningfully.  James rolled his eyes.<br/>
"Hardly."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Bond needs info, fast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Bond finds himself needing to know about model trains fast.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You are going to have to forgive my need to purge.  If you don't agree with my opinion on types of model trains, blame my former partner.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>James got back to his hotel room and pulled out a laptop, quickly setting up a video chat to Q in Q branch.</p>
<p>"Q?"<br/>
"Bond.  How nice of you to stay on mission."  Q spoke with dry sarcasm.<br/>
"Now is not the time.  My target is planning on showing off his model train collection to some of his connections.  I am going to break in and have a look, the way he was talking, it sounded like he was hinting at something but I don't know what.  I only have a few hours to work though.  I am going to do some quick homework on model trains but do you know anything about model trains or know someone who does?"  Something flickered  on Q's face.  "You do. Q, I need to know as much as I can and quickly."</p>
<p>Q frowned, looking troubled.<br/>
"I do know someone but..."<br/>
"I haven't got time for buts Q, a single small detail could be the difference between life and death.  Something perhaps only someone with knowledge of model trains would know."</p>
<p>Q grimaced.<br/>
"I'll see if I can find someone else first."</p>
<p>--007--</p>
<p>"I'm in." James told Q as he pulled on the glasses Q gave him, a hi-tech cam fitted on the frame.</p>
<p>"I have almost over-ridden the security system."  Q told him and a moment later lights began to flicker on.<br/>
"I have done quite a bit of research but do you have an expert?"<br/>
"I am not sure I would classify as an expert.  It's been years since I've had anything to do with model trains."  Snugglebunnies voice.<br/>
"Q!"  James hissed.</p>
<p>"You said you needed someone quickly and I couldn't find someone else in time."<br/>
"Surely one of your Q branch boffins is a secret model train enthusiast."  James tried.<br/>
"Trust me, I tried.  Snuggle is a last resort.  Sorry love."<br/>
I'm not sure how much help I can be."  Snugglebunny sighed.</p>
<p>James grimaced but there wasn't anything he could do but trust Q knew what he was doing.<br/>
"All right, Snugglebunny, what do you need?"</p>
<p>"Well I can already see a lot of passenger carriages."<br/>
"Which means?"  James asked, a small spark of hope lighting up.  This was what he needed, insight from someone who knew about model trains.</p>
<p>"Only that I think watching identical passenger cars going around and around a track is as boring as fuck."  Snugglebunny said dryly and it was details like that, something James wouldn't have even considered, that he might need.  "Do any of them have interiors?  I don't see any Pullman carriages."</p>
<p>James had a vague memory of looking at Pullman carriages during his research.<br/>
"I can see little seats and like room dividers."<br/>
"Boring."  Snugglebunny told him.  " No way of knowing if any of them have lights without putting them on a track.  What else has he got?"</p>
<p>James turned so the camera of the glasses could take on more of the room.</p>
<p>"Does he not have any stock carriages?  Wagons, containers?  Grain hoppers? Anything?"<br/>
"I don't think so, why?"<br/>
"I'm guessing he's a bit pretentious."</p>
<p>James raised an eyebrow.<br/>
"You can tell that just by what he has got?"<br/>
"Pretty much.  Where are the trains?"</p>
<p>James moved over to where the trains were.<br/>
"No brass locos."  Snugglebunny stated.<br/>
"Meaning?"<br/>
"Mate, I can't imagine any true model trains enthusiast not having or wanting a nice brass loco.  No old wind ups either.  The usual Princess Elizabeth, Price Albert and so forth.  Those should be Hornby.  If you pick one up and look underneath you should find the brand or at least a 'made in Britain'.</p>
<p>James lifted up one that had 'Sir Dinadan' on it.<br/>
"Ah, there it is.  Hornby, Made in Britian."<br/>
"Its amazing how much of its competition Hornby ended up buying out."  Snugglebunny mused.  Since James had been doing little else but reading up on it, he only made a noise of agreement.</p>
<p>"I see some tin trains, they look like Japanese Trademark trains.  If you pick one up on the end of the train you should spot a diamond with the letters TM."</p>
<p>James picked up one of the tin trains and had to admit that his research hadn't uncovered these odd looking trains.<br/>
"It looks like TK to me."  He told her.<br/>
"Close enough.  Those are a bit rarer and are a bit more valuable but not something you would expect to see with a model train collector."</p>
<p>"You have three locos which have two carriages each."  Q butted in.<br/>
"I like them.  At any rate you are more likely to see those in the hands of a toy collector, not a train collector."<br/>
"All right."  James took that in, information that again only someone with knowledge of model trains might know.</p>
<p>The ones with American colours on them are probably Tyco.  Check underneath?"<br/>
James took one and looked underneath<br/>
"Yes,Tyco."<br/>
"Is he American, American connections?"<br/>
"Not that I know of."<br/>
"Huh. Don't know why anyone not American would bother with that shit.  Pain in the arse to fix and they seem to need fixing quite a bit."<br/>
"What else has he got there?"</p>
<p>James picked up a train and turned it over.<br/>
"Joeuf?"<br/>
"French, they run nice when they do run but again a pain to fix."<br/>
James picked another up.<br/>
"This ones heavy."  He said in surprise as he began to turn it over<br/>
"Probably Atherns then."<br/>
"Atherns it is." James told her, slightly impressed she could guess that on weight alone.<br/>
"Getting your hands on a decent Atherns isn't easy but if you do, keep it. Those ones just keep going and going and they run so quiet and smooth."<br/>
"Noted."  James picked up another train.  "Lima?"<br/>
"Made in Italy?"<br/>
"Yes."  James agreed when he found the mark.<br/>
"Lima made stuff in a few different places."<br/>
"You know in all my research I never found German made stuff."  James commented.</p>
<p>"They made Marklin.  Nice trains, been German engineered they run nice and smooth, easy enough to fix they just have one problem. Most Marklin is three rail.  You need a separate track to run them.  Most model trains are two rail and will run on any two rail track that's the right size.  Not Marklin though.  Which is a shame because they are good trains.  Most people don't want two different tracks."</p>
<p>"All right."<br/>
"So where is the track?"</p>
<p>James found an elaborate layout in a separate room and gave a slight whistle in appreciation.<br/>"Nice."<br/>"Looks like flexi-trak.  Useless, cheap shit, forever breaking."  Snugglebunny spoke derisively.  "I hate layouts, people always think they are worth more then they are.  You see people advertise them for hundreds or thousands of dollars.  Some of them are poorly put together, some are really boring and basic, they can take up a massive amount of room for something that is sometimes only rarely used and moving them means they have to be dismantled.  Doing that without damaging something is near impossible, finding someone else who has room, well good luck with that.  Many older people try to sell when they have to downsize, normally for retirement and they realize they are not going to have room and then most of them hit the biggest problem with layouts."</p>
<p>"Which is?"  James asked curiously.<br/>"Every one who is interested in model trains either already has their own layout or they want to build their own, with their own ideas of what they want to put together.  These idiots put hours upon hours building a layout, getting buildings, putting together a landscape with trees and people and everything else and they think to themselves, I have put all this time in, put all this together and they convince themselves they have put together this magnificent layout, why it is practically a piece of art, it must be worth lots and lots, put a huge price on it only to find no one else wants it.  It's why I actually prefer Marklin.  The metal track might bend but it doesn't tend to break, you can generally bend it back into shape.  It's only a work of a few moments to set a track up any place you want and then you can pull it apart again for some other day."</p>
<p>"Right."  James wasn't sure the information was useful but since he's initial reaction that Snugglebunny wouldn't know anything useful, she didn't exactly strike him as a train nerd but she did clearly have the sort of insider knowledge James had asked Q for.</p>
<p>"That looks like a Flying Scotsman on the track"<br/>"You can tell that from here?"  James asked since the train was sitting across the other side.<br/>"Not so much the train but the shitty coloured carriages.  I know they are historically accurate but they still look like crap."</p>
<p>James had the admit that the beige brown colour wasn't the most attractive, he went over for a closer look.  When he got closer, he could see the name 'The Flying Scotsman' on the side of the train.<br/>"Now that should be Hornby but Hornby did one of the stupidest, most idiotic things possible.  It create a bunch of tender driven Flying Scotsmans.  Now sure your ten year old child might not know or care but any true train model collector would laugh themselves silly at the idea of a tender driven train.  You would never find one in real life after all.  I have no idea what Hornby was thinking, but those things are worth a fraction of a proper Flying Scotsman train."</p>
<p>James paused, a few of the things his target had been talking about all suddenly seemed to come together with Snuggles info about layouts and Flying Scotsman.<br/>"So how would I know?"<br/>"Pick it up, is their wire between them?  Or is the pin connecting train and tender metal?"<br/>James carefully picked up and found that their was wire connecting the two.<br/>"Wire." He replied.<br/>"Give me a look at the bottom of the tender."  Snugglebunny said so James bought it up closer to the glasses he was wearing.<br/>"Ah, there it is, the gears.  Yep, tender driven.  Stupid bloody Hornby."</p>
<p>James carefully put it down and then he gaze caught sight of wire looking out from the middle of the track itself and felt a sudden chill, his suspicion suddenly becoming certainty.<br/>"Q, this track is rigged."<br/>"Right, Snuggle, thank you but I think your work is done."<br/>"Thank fuck for that.  I stopped wanting anything to do with bloody model trains years ago."</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. It's a ... date?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eve uses Bond to get Q out for one night.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I had to devise a way to get everyone in one place so hopefully things start to actually happen.  Like my life is actually starting to happen again. Hind sight is 20/20 (ie year 2020, get it? Oops, should I apologise for my warped sense of humour?)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>James contemplated the devious mind that came up with the idea of a door which only had a handle on one side of a door, attached to a keypad where one had to insert ID card and passcode before said handle was even operatable, and the devious mind which meant James could see the keypad through the thick, bulletproof, smash-proof glass but been on the wrong side of the door, had no access to it in order to let himself out.  Even the doors hinges, normally a good target when contemplating escape, were on the wrong side.  The only other window showed a lovely view outside but James was already well aware of the several story drop down to the ground.  There were ways around, the fire alarm for instance, which if activated would release him from his hospital prison but Q hadn't responded well to the last time he'd gone that route and in retaliation had jammed him in the Elevator for some time until James submitted himself to Medical again.  There was a down side to having a Techno whiz keeping an eye on your every move and Q had obviously been expecting James to do something.  James eyed the camera distrustfully, normally he was fine with Q using all his resources to keep an eye on him but that was on missions.  Not so convenient when James just wanted to get out of this room.</p>
<p>His mind was occupied with various scenario's of escape when he realised that Moneypenny was outside the door and keying her way in.<br/>"James."  She smiling winningly at him, which meant she was up to something.<br/>"Eve."  James made every effort to appear perfectly relaxed and comfortable, judging by her expression he hadn't been entirely successful.<br/>"If I let you out of here, will you help me convince Q that a night out, away from his cats, isn't the end of the world."</p>
<p>If Eve hadn't said cats, James wouldn't have had that slightly evil smile flash over his face because it gave him an idea.<br/>"I think I can do that."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>_____</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Tell Eve I said no."  Q glanced at him from over his computer screen.  "You are supposed to be in Medical, tell me why I shouldn't lock you in a supply cabinet this time?"<br/>Bond leaned forward.<br/>"Well unlike Eve, I know you have more than cats to go home too."  He gave a sly smile.  "I thought, once we know where Eve is planning to go, you could invite them along."<br/>Q opened his mouth a moment and he was obviously going to say no but something held him back as his eyes narrowed in contemplation.<br/>"Eve thinks she is using you to get to me, but you want me to get back at her for assuming the nerdy little Q couldn't possibly have a life."  Q had small, growing little smile.  "Bond, I thought you kept your more devious nature to the job?"<br/>Bond allowed his smile to grow and added a wink.<br/>"It comes in handy other times as well."<br/>Q snorted slightly.<br/>"I just bet it does."  Q picked up a phone and tapped away awhile.  "I think I'll ask Boss to wear his mesh shirt, Queenie to wearing her flapper dress and Snuggle to wear her leather skirt."</p>
<p>Bond felt his eyebrow raise, he could well imagine Boss and Queenie managing to look absolutely gorgeous but Snugglebunny?<br/>"Leather skirt?"<br/>"Oh yes."  Q gave him a grin. "She rarely bothers to dress up but she was given this leather skirt that looks smashing on her."<br/>"That would be worth seeing, what do you say, think everyone could give Eve a show?"</p>
<p>"Lets do it."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>****</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The thing about sexiness, and James had reason to know, it was as much to do about attitude as about looks.  Having met each member of Q's foursome, he fully expected Boss and Queenie to look absolutely gorgeous.  Sitting back in a booth with Q, Eve, R and Tanner, he noticed when the three entered.  Boss with his curly red hair, pale skin and green eyes along with a muscular, fit build had a certain presence about him, which was probably how he ended up with a nickname like Boss.  He commanded attention and with the thin black mesh shirt showing off his muscled frame, he looked as mouth watering as James expected. Queenie was blonde and slender and curves in all the right places, long legs, blue eyes bright enough to match his own.  Queenie was also muscled but in a different way and watching her move, James became convinced she was involved in dance in some way.  Queenie was someone use to attention and almost expected it as she walked proudly next to Boss, showing off and also been showed off.  It was easy to see how Queenie got her nickname because she looked like an absolute Queen, in the centre of attention and loving it wearing a sleek black number covered in red tassels in a flapper style dress.</p>
<p>Snugglebunny, with her more homely looks, wasn't someone who naturally got attention nor did she seek it so when James's eyes went to her next, his eyes widened slightly in surprise.  Up 'til now, Snugglebunny hadn't struck him as someone who cared all that much about her appearance, who preferred be comfortable and didn't much like been noticed.  Yet here she was looking absolutely smashing in a black leather skirt and a black halter top covered in red and gold sequins which left most of her back exposed.  What he obviously hadn't taken into account was Snugglebunny's total lack of self-consciousness about her looks.  She looked equally as comfortable and at home in that leather black skirt as she did in jeans and a jumper and she somehow managed to pull it off.  She was completely dismissive about the stares she was getting because she knew ordinarily these people wouldn't notice her at all and she was a little smug about the attention she knew she was getting.  James had never noticed before now that she had a certain self-confidence about her due to the fact she was totally comfortable in her skin regardless of what she was wearing or how plain she might look compared to her partners which gave her an entirely different sort of sexiness.</p>
<p>"Christ Q, you can't say you didn't warn me."  James leaned in to Q's ear in order to be heard over the music.<br/>Q gave a proud, pleased and slightly smug smile.<br/>"They are something aren't they."<br/>"Snugglebunny has no real idea, does she?  Just how sexy she is."<br/>Q's gave James a slightly wry smile.<br/>"It's not that so much that but she just doesn't want to be viewed as a sexual person because she isn't, she's Ace.  You know what Asexual means right?"<br/>"Sort of." James hedged and Q laughed.<br/>"Yeah, we're a bit of a weird mob.  Boss is Poly, he likes everything and he see's it as his job to keep us all happy. Queenie is the only one of us who is truly bi.  Snuggle hasn't met a female yet she is actually attracted to and that includes Queenie, which annoys Queenie a bit but they do get on great, sort of like best friends who share and then there is me and I am more attracted to men.  Queenie has been my only exception but as much as I love Snuggle, I am not attracted to her but since she is Ace, that doesn't bother her a bit and somehow the four of us just sort of fit together.  Not that we don't have our problems but I don't think any of us would work without the others."</p>
<p>James took a moment to take all that in.<br/>"That is a bit of an oddball mix."<br/>"I wouldn't have it any other way."  Q grinned and waved the three over.</p>
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